St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-09-04
France Still Heaping Provo
cations on the Men Be-
yond the Rhine,
Who Seem to Care Little For
Petty Insults, But May
Get Mad Yet.
Signs Of the Times Which
Presage a Big Eu-
Popean War.
By Cable to the Globe.

by CaDle TO the GlODe.
LONDON, Sept. 3.-If report now
current in well informed conservative
circles is correct it now rests with Lord
Salisbury to decide whether or not
there shall be coalition government.
1t is said that at one of the interviews
which took place between the prime
minister and Lord Harrington when the
negotiations for the formation of the
present government were pending the
former eXacted from the Union leader
verbal pledge, which was afterwards
put into writing, that if the government
found itself in difficulty the Unionists
would come to the rescue and take a
share of the responsibility. Had it not
been for this, Lord Salisbury would
have hesitated to take office. So it is,
ii he feels that the present ministry is
in peril, he has simply to claim the full
fillment of the promise ON that
ground, and Lord Harrington cannot
refuse. There is the best reason
for believing, however, that Lord Hart
ington's reluctance to take office is no
longer the real difficulty in the way.
This obstacle has been overcome: but
the question now is, what office ought
Lord Harrington to take? Lord Sails
bury isquite willing to vacate the pre-
mlership in his favor, but among the
Conservatives in the house of commons
many of whom are already complain
ing that too much has been surrendered
to the UnioniStS- course wotild
be extremely unpopular. 1t is suggested
that Lord Harrington should be content
with the Office which Mr.. Smith now
holds-that of first lord of the treasury
and leader of the house-Mr. Smith
being conveniently translated to the
house of lords, and if any arrangement
is made in the autumn it will probably
be upon this basis. But
THE ALL-IMPORTANT POWER
OF deciding when dissolution should
take place, will then practically be in
the hands of Lord Salisbury, while in
present circumstances the UnioniSts
claim that they are masters of the Situa-
tiOn and can fix their own time for a
new appeal to the country. Were Lord
Harrington prime minister he could not
long keep Office without taking the
Judgment of the constituencies. The
belief in the best informed COnServa-
tive quarters is that the government
will, in November, submit to the Union
lSt leaders their measures, both for Eng
land and for Ireland. If these are
found such as Lord Harrington can
identify himself with, confeSsedly
stOp-gap government will be formed,
with the special object of carrying these
bills over to next session; but there will
be nothing like definite amalgamation
of the Conservative and Wing parties.
1t is hoped by the Unionists that by
that time the home rule move
ment will have spent itself, and
that with the aid of import
ant reform measures which they
70 +1,nx l,no Ill 10 e.,
their constituencies with some show of
success. So disgusted are some of the
more hot-blooded Conservatives with the
present prospect that they are moving
earnestly against the Liberal-UnioniSt
alliance. There idea is that if the Con-
servatives run alone, they can put
unloniSm, prOtectiOniSm and bi-metal-
ism together, and thus sweep the coun-
try. They want fair trade'' to be the
cry. Lord Salisbury'S recent utteranceS
on the subject of protection indicate that
he is cOgniZant of what is going on, and
no one can say what he would do in
OF duty did not tie him to Lord Harting
ton and Mr.. GoSchen. So long as the
present alliance of the Tories and Lib
eral-UnioniStS remains intact, and Mr..
GOSchen is chancellor of the eXchequer,
there will be neither protection nor BIZ
metallism, but once the tie is severed
the Tories will undoubtedly appeal to
tbs country OH those issues In an in
terview to-day regarding the political
situation,
MIR. SCHNADHORST,
Liberal caucus king, said:
The vote of the recent elections is nothing
less than formidable demonstration against
the government. Last year the UnlonistS
were force; this year they are being forced
The Tories are where they were in 1885 and
the Liberals have also reverted to their posi-
ton in that year, but with a decided tend
ency to improve upon it, and the Unionists
have vanished. They have vanished, that is
to say, as dissenters, and are now voting, nine
out Of ten of them, for Liberal candidates.
AS far as the constituencies are concerned,
the coalition is thing of the past. The fight
is now between the Tory and Liberal parties,
and in such fights the Tory party does not in
the long run win. In face of this movement
the least sanguine. Liberal cannot but look
forward to general election with hope and
confidence. That the policy of home rule will
be ind orsed by the country at the next elec
ton is, indeed pretty well assured. 1t is de-
plorable that the tnionist leaders should
continue to isolate themselves in sterile
and useless opposition, and 1t is to be hoped
that some of them, at all events, will follow
the example of Sir George Trevelyan before
it is too late. Home rule can be won in spite
of them. Since the recent elections it is i'm
possible any longer to pretend that the
Unlonists are indispensable TO the Liberal
party. That home rule will be carried at the
next election is doubtful; but there is no
great hurry, and the government may be
given another year without any loss to US,
though If they are given rope enough they
will in all probability hang themselves before
the year is OUT
THE RESTLESS FRENCH.
Once more the French are rattling the
Scabbard in manner which would be
accepted by nation more easily moved
to anger than the Germans as an invi-
tation to 'come on.' The vagaries of
an ambitious, daShing leader of cavalry
and the eXasperating incidents on the
frontier, have all failed to disturb the
confident composure of the mortal foes
of La Belle France. The mobilization
of the French army corps now in pro-
gress will. it is predicted, also miss the
mark. 1t is, however, the intention of
the German authorities to mark their
sense of such provocative tactics by an
imposing counter-display of Soldiery
In the interests of peace in Europe, it is
devOutly to be hoped that the French
mobilization will not be converted into
a demonstration of Boulangerism and
that the cry for la revanche will not be
raised. Gen. Ferron, the French minis
ter of war, is doing everything posi-
BILE to
MAKE HIMSELF POPULAR
without lowering himself in the esteem
of his countrymen. His somewhat trite
remark that to strengthen to the utmost
limit of possibility the defensive forces
| of France would be the best guarantee
Of peace,is hardly the kind Of sentiment